Record Reviews

SKALDOWIE ~ PIESN NAD PIESNIAMI, CZYLI BALLADA CZLOWIEKA O MILOSCI POLSKIE RADIO 1437 (Barcode: 5907812244378) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1980 - 1981 Released: 2011 Although not a "proper" SkaldowieFind albums by this artist album per se, this recording presents the group taking part in a very special artistic project created by the legendary Polish cabaret "Piwnica Pod Baranami" in Krakow. Skaldowie, one of the most influential East European ensembles, were founded by brothers: Andrzej ZielinskiFind albums by this artist (vocalist, keyboardist and composer) and Jacek ZielinskiFind albums by this artist (vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer). The other group members at the time were: guitarist Jerzy TarsinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad RatynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wiktor KierzkowskiFind albums by this artist. Jacek Zielinski composed a cycle of songs to the lyrics written by Wieslaw DymnyFind albums by this artist, who himself performed at the cabaret and was famous for his witty lyrics. But the lyrics used here show his lyrical / poetic side as well. The songs were performed by the group and several additional vocalists, who were regular members of the cabaret. The entire project can be seen as a typical Jazz & Poetry project, although in this case the music was performed by a Rock group, with a strong Jazz orientation. The song cycle was also recorded by the Polish Radio in the winter of 1980 / 1981 and celebrating the 30th anniversary of the recording, was released on record for the first time. In retrospect this album is one of the best albums ever that Skaldowie recorded during their long career. It also shows that Jacek Zielinski was also quite an accomplished composer, which was never apparent on the formal recordings of the group, where Andrzej Zielinski was almost exclusively in charge of the composing. The actual performances are brilliant from start to end, in a much more informal atmosphere than the album recorded by the group and of better sound quality. The music is versatile and cross-genre, moving freely between Rock, Jazz, Chanson, Pop and of course Cabaret. Of course the complete experience of this recording is very much language dependent, even more so than on the regular albums by the group. But considering the fact that Skaldowie have a wide following among fans, who do not speak Polish, this one should be no exception, especially in view of its brilliant quality and artistic merit. This is an important document of Polish Rock history and Polish Culture in general and should be a must have for every Polish music fan. It stands the test of time with flying colors and is definitely worth revisiting. Brilliant stuff!

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend